


Practice Makes Perfect

by grump_ass



Category: In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: 'you live by the theater you DIE by the theater', First Kiss, M/M, and a bby, audition help, benny is bi, grease being used for gay teens to make out, so did nate, sonny is an asshole, tumblr did this, usnavi is a theater nerd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 17:31:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8294129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grump_ass/pseuds/grump_ass
Summary: When Usnavi is struggling with his lines for the school's Grease production, Benny is more than willing to assist him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> *welcomes self to the ITH Bensnavi writers club*
> 
> So like if yall didnt know someone left a comment on this about a consent-ambiguous end, and when i went to fix it i thought of a new plot and Here We Are

The first thing that Benny realizes about the script is that it is tragically heterosexual.

Which, hand to God, usually wouldn’t be that big of a problem for him, being bi and all. Fuck, he normally stays the hell away from any discussions about sexuality when he can. He isn’t even remotely out. So, he keeps his opinions to himself. But when Usnavi tells him on their way home from school that he’s trying out for the school play and ‘Benny should totally audition too!’ and hands him a copy of the audition pieces, Benny is so disappointed at the lack of a male love interest he almost considers writing a very strongly worded letter to the theater department about heteronormativity. Of course, he doesn’t; his anger is pretty much just him being pissy he doesn’t have an excuse to kiss his best friend, which is an issue totally separate from his high school not wanting to get sued or even thinking about having a play with gay people in it.

This isn’t a social justice issue, Benny admits begrudgingly to himself that night as he limps through his physics homework, this is an I-Want-Usnavi’s-Ass issue. And this wasn’t the first time this issue had come up; this had been an issue for the last four years, ever since eighth when he stayed over at Usnavi’s and accidentally stayed up for two hours watching Usnavi smile in his sleep. And he’d been dealing with the mental gymnastics ever since.

He finally threw his pencil down.

Fuck this. I wonder if I have any quarters.

Five minutes later, Benny was down the street, punching Usnavi’s number into the telephone booth. His parents had a phone in the apartment, but Benny didn’t like feeling guilty about using it for so long or being unable to have some form of privacy. So until his broke ass scraped together enough for a personal line, which it most likely never would, he was gonna be marching his tired ass down the street every night.

Usnavi picked up on the third tone, and greeted his friend with an enthusiastic, “Benny,” who couldn’t help but smile at the excitement in his voice.

“Sup, Navi?”

“Nothing, just practicing for auditions. Did you finish your Physics homework?”

“Of course not.” He talked over Usnavi’s cries of protest, “What scene are you rehearsing?”

“Ah, just the scene between Danny and Sandy.”

The play was Grease. And yet Benny had still poured through the entire goddamned script for any hint of homosexuality between Danny Zuko and fucking anyone. Why was he disappointed when he found nothing again?

“Sounds fun, Usnavi.”

“It’s okay. You should come over and help me practice.”

“I have homework,” Benny protested, but the two knew it was just a guise to make Benny seem like he even remotely cared.

“That you aren’t doing. Be here in ten minutes, dude.”

“It’s a fifteen minute walk.”

“I hope you’ve got your tennis shoes, then.”

He did. Usnavi knew him too well.

By the time he reached Usnavi’s barrio, he had barely broken a sweat. Which was good, because he really didn’t want to smell or look gross.

When he opened the door to Usnavi’s apartment, he had a key and they were best friends, knocking was overrated anyway, he was greeted by Usnavi’s younger cousin Sonny on the floor, coloring and watching cartoons at the same time.

“Hey, little dude.”

“Shush, Usnavi’s in his room.”

Well. At least the kid was straightforward.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Honestly, where the hell did the kid get this attitude?

“Hey, little homie, you better find out who your kid cousin told to shush, because I know for damn sure it wasn’t me.”

“Was he watching Batman or coloring?”

“He was doing both.”

“Then it was definitely you he was talking to.”

Benny looked around Usnavi’s room. He still couldn’t get over all the posters he had up. Granted, a lot of them were hand drawn, like the spider man poster that Nina and Vanessa had slaved over for weeks for Usnavi’s birthday, but a few of them, all musicals, were professionally done. Benny suspected Usnavi had gotten them at the little theater memorabilia store downtown they always “had to go into, Benny,” or from the theater teacher. Usnavi had some musical cassette playing, probably Grease, and the script in his hands was almost completely yellow from all the notes and highlights. Benny really hoped Usnavi got this part; not just because he deserved it, but also because he was pretty sure Usnavi would explode if all fifty seven pages of handwritten notes he’d written of the notes Danny has to hit while combing his hair would be for naught.

Benny sat on his bed, kicking off his shoes and taking off his jacket. Usnavi huffed when he threw his jacket carelessly onto the floor.

“Look I know my room is a trash heap but I don’t need your help.”

“Shush, Usnavi.”

“Now you and my cousin are being punks,” Usnavi said, leaning over and shoving him. Benny shoved him back, smiling widely in spite of himself. Usnavi leaned back and used his feet to shove him away. Benny rolled his eyes and fell back dramatically.

“Okay, Thumper, Jesus Christ, I get it.”

“Did you just call me ‘Thumper’?” Usnavi asked. He sat up, script in hands and legs now crossed.

“Yeah, cuz you were kicking me.”

“I’m proud of your Walt Disney references, Benny.”

“I try.”

“Okay, but I called you here for a reason. I kind of need help with my audition piece, and I need you to…” he trailed off.

“Yeah?”

“Uhm. Read for Sandy.”

“The little blonde girl?”

Usnavi’s lips pressed thinly, he always pressed his lips when he got embarrassed, and he squeaked, “Hey, listen, I just need some help, okay? I’ll remember you when I get my Tony and all that.”

Benny sighed. “Fine. I’ll help you rehearse. I’ll be your weird blonde girlfriend.”

What was meant to get a giggle instead got a weird strangled noise. It sounded too akin to a groan for Benny to not store the noise later for future reference.

“What’s the scene.”

Usnavi coughed a little before speaking; “Well, so, it starts at page 68.”

“Are we sharing a script?”

“Oh, I made copies,” Usnavi said matter of factly.

“Oh, of course you did,” Benny chuckled.

“Shush, just help me, you nerd.”

“Alright, Snavi, whatever you say.”

Usnavi kicked his feet out and scooted over so that he and Benny were shoulder to shoulder. Benny looked down at his script and tried to ignore the burning in his cheeks. He yelped when Usnavi’s arm unexpectedly slid over his shoulders.

“What-”

“Script, Benny.”

“Right.”

There was an almost uncomfortable silence as they rearranged themselves. Benny stayed ramrod straight, hands uselessly folded over the script in his lap.

Usnavi coughed, then began.

“Come on, Sandy. I told you on the phone I was sorry.”

“I know you did.,” Benny said, trying to keep his voice level as Usnavi’s arm on his shoulders shifted.

“You believe me, don't you?” Usnavi asked, and his voice sounded so genuinely vulnerable that for a second Benny panicked and thought he was actually upset.

“Yes, but I still think you and Cha Cha went together,” Benny said, monotone.

“We did not go together,” Usnavi insisted, and Benny barely kept himself fro deflating when Usnavi pulled his arm away, “We just went together.”

“It's the same thing.”

“No. No.”

Usnavi made like he had accidentally elbowed Benny in the chest. The two stared at each other for a minute before Usnavi coughed and, awkwardly, reminded Benny that Sandy had boobs. Benny choked a little and picked up.

“Ohh!”

“Sandy, I'm sorry,” A moment’s hesitation, then Usnavi’s arm was back around Benny’s shoulders, “Sandy… Would you wear my ring?”

“Danny. I don't know what to say.”

“Say, yes.” Jesus, if this wasn’t Usnavi and a play Benny would have told Danny to fuck off. What a fuck ass.

“Yes,” Nevermind. Maybe this Danny dude was actually relatively smooth with the ladies. Benny wondered if he could use these tips on Usnavi. He probably wouldn’t, “Danny, this means so much to me. Cos I know now that you respect me.”

Usnavi sighed. “Okay,” he said, moving his arm away, “I think I got that. We can skip the next part-”

“But you have that whole part highlighted.”

“Oh. Well, yeah, but it’s a, uhm.”

“A what?”

“A kissing scene. We can’t really.” Usnavi gestured helplessly between them.

“Oh. Oh.” That. Yeah, that made sense. “Yeah. I guess not.”

“I mean, we’re-”

“Best friends,” Benny interrupted, because hearing what he was probably going to say hurt, it hurt to even think about.

Usnavi hesitated, it wasn’t what he was going to say, and Benny knew it, but instead he nodded his head. “Yeah. It would be weird.”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t wanna make it weird.” Benny felt his eyes start stinging, but he fought the impulse to dig his palm into his eyes to ease it. He instead focused on his breathing.

Not Usnavi’s. He usually could. That usually was a good thing to remember. To focus on. But not right now. Definitely not right now.

Usnavi was quiet anyways, looking down at his script, eyes glazed over. He was still small, he hadn’t had a growth spurt in the last two years. There was a time when Usnavi grew a mile a minute, it seemed. He was once an inch taller than Benny, or at least, until Benny shot up and past him.

“Anyways,” Usnavi mumbled, but he only stared at the page, as if he didn't want to rehearse anymore.

And honestly, neither did Benny.

**Author's Note:**

> THANKS http://nateobite.tumblr.com/ for letting me use this! 
> 
> The post this is based off of is right here >>> http://nateobite.tumblr.com/post/151650568333/this-ask-cleared-my-skin
> 
> Check it out I am now a new and better man because of it.
> 
> I'm on tumblr at grump-ass !!! Come visit me!!! I'm gonna go sleep for five years now!!!!


End file.
